Welcome to Fallen Angel Reviews, Lacey Alexander!! We would like to congratulate you on your newest book, French Quarter!!

Thank you so very much! The response from readers has been gratifying!

Would you tell us something about yourself?

Let's see. I live in the Midwest with my husband. We love to travel, and as readers will see in my Hot In The City trilogy, I enjoy using travel destinations in my work. I also enjoy a variety of crafts in my free time.

Can you tell us what you love most about writing?

I've been writing for many, many years, and I'm also published in traditional romance. As a child, I always loved being "swept away" by stories, and before long, creating those stories became a natural next step. From a creative standpoint, there's simply nothing more fulfilling to me than piecing together a story, creating compelling, hopefully likable characters, and taking them on a journey with a satisfying ending. From a career standpoint, it beats the heck out of putting on a pair of pantyhose every day. :)

What is a typical day in the life of Lacey Alexander?

I write full time, and I treat my writing like a nine to five job - pretty simple, I'm afraid. ;)

You are writing the Hot In the City Trilogy, and the first book, French Quarter is available now at Ellora's Cave. Could you tell us a little about these stories?

Each book in the Hot In The City trilogy features one of the three Marsh sisters and tells the tale of her romantic, erotic adventures in a different "hot" city. In this case, "hot" refers to both temperatures and a wild atmosphere. :) I had a great time shaping each sister's personality, as well as going on their sexy adventures with them. :) My goal in each book is to take the reader on a "complete" sensual excursion, to let my characters live out as many sexual fantasies as possible for the reader's enjoyment. I also wanted to make each book wilder than the last, which took some work creatively, but I think it also helped me grow a great deal as a writer.

I've read French Quarter and I have to say it was amazing. I can't wait to read Sin City and Key West. Where did you get your ideas for these stories?

Thank you so much - I'm thrilled at your reaction to French Quarter, and am gratified you're looking forward to the next two books. :)

It all started as a seed of an idea - the concept that the French Quarter would be a great place to set an erotic novel, and that French Quarter made an evocative title all on its own. It was only as I began to write Jack and Liz's story that I saw the potential for a trilogy. I had visited all three locations in the trilogy over the past five years, so that helped, too.

Have you ever been to the French Quarter in New Orleans and would you mind telling us a bit about your experiences there?

Yes, I've visited the French Quarter several times over the past ten years and find it a very mysterious and sensual place that draws you back for more. As I walk the streets of the Quarter, I find it impossible not to wonder what sort of people inhabit all those wonderful, historical, balcony-laden buildings, and I also wonder what influence the sensual aura of the place might have had in their lives.

It might also bear mentioning that in my "real life," I'm not at all a "wild" sort of person. While in the Quarter, I did venture into a club which became the fictional "Club Venus" in the book, and in all honesty, while the things I witnessed there were indeed arousing, it was not my personal cup of tea. ;) But for me, romantica is all about fantasy, and all about titillating the reader, so my goal - in all three stories - was to make all things sexy and provocative.

I understand that French Quarter was your first attempt at writing erotica. Did you find it difficult to write?

Actually, it practically wrote itself. I penned the 80,000 word book in about three weeks, and I can only explain that by saying I think I have an inherent understanding of the erotica/romantica market, or at least an inherent idea of what I think it should be and want it to be. I've written for various markets in and out of the romance industry, and this is the first market I've targeted that I simply knew how to write. I also made it a point not to read any erotica or romantica before I began, because whereas I usually study a market before attempting it, for this market, I wanted to explore my own ideas without letting myself be influenced by how other writers approached it.

Do you have any other books planned for the future?

Readers might be interested to know I'm currently writing a novella featuring Ty, Jack's best friend in French Quarter. It takes place during Mardi Gras and has a light bondage theme, as well as a theme of masks and hidden identities. This will be the last story for the Hot In The City gang, which began with Amy and Cole in Hot For Santa! Amy and Cole will show up again in a sizable way in Key West.

I've also just sold Ellora's Cave a "quickie," my first ever attempt at a futuristic, called Seductress of Caralon, which is a prequel to a proposed trilogy. These stories take place in a post-apocalyptic and very *sexual* society. ; )

Ty's story and Seductress of Caralon are scheduled to be released next spring - 2005.

Speaking of the future, where do you see your writing career five years from now?

Wow, that's a hard question. Because I also write mainstream romance, much will depend upon which area of my writing brings me the most success. Although a contract clause prohibits me from stating the pseudonym I use for my mainstream work, I hope to develop both careers in the coming years and hopefully see both of them continue successfully.

Can you tell us how being published changed your life, if at all?

As I mentioned, I also write romance, so I've been published for a number of years now. And it changes a writer's life exponentially, or at least that's how it effected me. It's a grand achievement to reach that goal and have your work read by a wide number of people. The most gratifying part for me is when a reader takes the time to contact me to say they loved something I've written - since that's what it's all about for a writer - touching people in some way with your work.

My goal in erotica/romantica is a simple one. I hope my readers are titillated and aroused. I hope it improves their love life. I hope it makes them seduce their husband after they finish the book. If I can do that, I consider it a huge success.

Do you ever get the chance to read, and if so, who are some of your favorite authors?

I try to read, but sometimes squeezing it in is difficult. And I read across the board - lots of different authors, but some favorite authors of sexy books that come to mind are Lori Foster, Lori Wilde, Stephanie Bond, Vickie Lewis Thompson, Rachel Gibson, Toni Blake, Carrie Alexander, Jennifer Crusie … the list goes on.

Is there a particular author or person who has influenced your writing?

No one particular author, really. But I certainly owe a lot to my husband, who has been patient enough to support me while I pursue my dream.

Is there anything else you would like to add to this interview?

I'd just like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has purchased a copy of French Quarter. I so appreciate the support of the readers, and I thank them for helping me get my erotica career off on the right foot. :)

Thank you, Lacey for answering our questions!! If you would like more information about Lacey Alexander, please visit her website. We wish you the best of luck with your future books!!

Thank you so much, Jennifer. It's been a pleasure. :)

Interviewed by:
Jennifer